|
INTRODUCTION
I see many of this book’s contributors every day. You might see some of them too. If not the very same people, then others like them. They live on the fringe, or perhaps more aptly, the edge of privileged society. Filling its nameless and faceless peripheral and expendable roles. They beg its small change, sweep its floors, cook its food, patrol its buildings, mind its cars, pump its fuel or do whatever it is they need to do to survive on the outskirts of its exclusive membership. They are, to coin a politically incorrect term, society’s ‘disposables’.
The idea for this book came from the idealistic notion that I might be able to help them to earn some money the same way I do: by expressing myself creatively. I hoped that by giving them the same opportunity, they would be able to better their lives in some small way. And at the same time offer society a look at the lives they lead beyond its manicured borders. I therefore undertook to finance the project myself, in the hope that the results would be worthy of publication and funds could be raised to do so.
I bought fifteen disposable cameras and set about commissioning photographers to participate in the project. My offer to them was this: I would give them ten rand at the outset and when they returned the camera to me, I would give them another forty rand. So they would receive fifty rand to become a photographer for a day (or two or three or however long it took). Then, if and when I managed to procure funds for publishing the photographs, they would receive a bonus and own a share of the book.
The project has yielded some truly amazing results and I think it has global sales potential. It also has the potential to create further opportunities for the participants and others like them. Sales could lead to charity in the form of the establishment of, or contributions to, homeless shelters; and publicity could lead to development programmes that may include sponsorships or bursaries. In short, the more it sells the more good it can do. |
|
|
Name: Albert Mkopo
Age: 25
Residence:
12 126th Avenue Alexandria
I also met Albert by accident. I wanted to recruit a construction worker so I was loitering outside one of the construction sites in Sandton. Security asked what I was doing there and when I explained, Albert overheard. He said he needed work (money) so I gave him a camera. He phoned me the very next day to tell me he was finished so I was quite sceptical about his prospects, thinking that he had snapped any crap just to collect the cash. But I was amazed to find that in that time he took some really great shots. In fact some of my favourites.
Albert had no permanent address or phone number when we met, so we arranged that he would phone once a month to get an update. He phoned me a week later and I explained that it was too soon, but that he should keep phoning. He never did phone again though, so when I wanted to show him his photographs I had no way of contacting him. I took a picture of Albert and went to show the security guards at the site where I met him. One of them recognised him and said that he was working on the site. He had managed to get a short-term job (most of the construction jobs are) as a tiler.
Albert was born in Mpumulanga and has been living in Johannesburg for the last 6 years. He does not have a wife or a girlfriend. When I asked Albert what he would change about his life if he could he said he would like to earn more money. “With money I could maybe play soccer or start a business or go to driving school to become a driver.”
When I asked what he would change about the world if he could Albert had no answer. I tried to explain the hypothetical question in as many ways as I could, hoping he would understand, but he didn’t. Albert’s English isn’t very good, but I think that the language barrier wasn’t the only thing that kept him from understanding. The question probably made no sense to him. So perhaps it wasn’t that he didn’t understand the question, but rather, why I was asking it.
Albert is pleased with his photographs and his favourite shot is the toilet hire tanker because he said: “it is beautiful to me.”
Albert has been visiting me at my office once a month since I interviewed him almost six months ago. He has no permanent address so it’s the only way we can stay in touch. He’s had a couple of odd jobs but nothing permanent. I usually give him some money if he’s out of work (which is most of the time).
Albert’s photographs:
1. Coffee cup – outside construction site in Sandton.
2. Construction site – Sandton.
|
|
|
Name: Fanie Kapp
Age: 40
Residence:
3009/11, Extension 11, Naturena.
Steve and Fanie were the first people I approached to participate in the project and when I explained what I wanted them to do, they pretty much thought I was insane. They couldn’t believe that a perfect stranger wanted to give them a camera and pay them money to take photographs. (I have to confess that, after similar reactions from every other subsequent participant, I began to wonder whether perhaps I was bit of a nutter.) But, as in most cases, once I explained the details their scepticism waned and they became very enthusiastic. Fanie told me that he had once owned a camera and was looking forward to taking photographs again.
When I met with Fanie again, to show him the photographs, he told me Steve had disappeared. They’d had an argument and Steve had hooked up with a new bunch of drinking buddies. Fanie was quite upset about the whole incident and said he is prepared to make friends if Steve is. Apparently Steve taught Fanie the engraving business and they set up the stand in Dunkeld together. Steve was also living at Fanie’s place before their fight, but he hasn’t seen him since.
Fanie is married to Martha Kapp. Martha begs at an intersection nearby Fanie’s stand. They have two children together. Fanie also has a daughter from a previous relationship. She recently fell pregnant and although she distances herself from Fanie and he hardly sees her, he said he would take her in and look after her and her child if she wanted him to. If Fanie could change anything about this life, he would like to be given the opportunity to work. “I would like to work and give something to my family and to other people. I know what it is to battle and I hate to see people suffer.” If he could change anything about the world he would change people’s attitudes. “I’d like to give people good attitudes instead of bad.”
Fanie has owned a camera before and he said he really enjoyed taking photographs again. “It’s so great to get a clear view of something and then catch it and then enjoy the photo later. Sometimes it doesn’t come out, but it happens. It can’t always be perfect.” When I asked who is the one person he would like photograph, he said “I can’t give a name, but it must be someone interesting, someone with personality. Somebody great. And besides that I would like to take photos of things that we don’t need in the world. And also take photos of people who are building themselves up." Overall, Fanie is very pleased with his photographs and his favourite is the sunset shot because, he said, “I’m mad about nature. I hoped I would see this picture.”
Fanie was paging through some of the other photographs and he recognised Tom. He said that he and Tom have been locked up together before for begging. I mentioned this to Tom after he was almost arrested and he said he has known Fanie and Martha for years. He said that they are good people, even though they drink, and he respects them for sticking together all these years.
Fanie’s photographs:
1. Martha took this shot. She wanted to take a picture of the driver because he’s a good friend to them. Fanie said: “He’s a great guy and he even speaks Afrikaans to us.”
2. A shebeen on Fraser Street, above the Chinese man’s store. Fanie doesn’t drink there; he just took a quick snap.
|
|
|
Name: Michael Masedi
Age: 38
Residence:
58 6th Avenue, Alexandra.
Michael works in the parking lot of the Sandton Health & Racquet gym, washing cars for people while they work out. He’s had the carwash business for about three years and took on a partner, August, about two years ago. Before that he worked as a bricklayer for about six years as well as a few other odd jobs in between. Michael went to Minerva High School, but had to drop out in Standard 8 to find work. He is not married, but he has two children, John and Mary, who live with his partner, Victoria, in Pietersburg (where he was born). If Michael could change anything about this life, he would like to be given the opportunity to work. To make the world a better place, Michael would like to work with other people and help other people.
Michael has never owned a camera, but has taken photographs before. He only had the camera for two days, but in that short time managed to capture some truly remarkable images. One shot in particular (the last one) would make any professional photographer jealous and someone with years of experience would do well to recreate such amazing lighting. In fact, he chose that same shot as his favourite and when I asked him why he said: “Because of the darkness and the light and the shape and the way it sits.” Which are basically layman’s terms for lighting and composition. Amazing. Makes you wonder what he might be able to achieve with some training. If he was given the opportunity to photograph any person, he would choose Piet Koornof. Why? “Because” he says, “he fought for the rights of the people.”
Michael’s photographs:
1. Shebeen - Steve’s Tavern. Dancing lady: Maria. Behind her: Touch. Left: Steve (not the owner). Right: Congo.
2. Jo’burg Beer – Mashinini’s Bar in the taxi rank in the Pan African Centre in Alexandra. Michael knows the owner (Sipho) of this tiny bar and sometimes hangs out there. They sell cartons of beer only, that cost R2.00 each.
|
|
|
Name: Petrus Khoza
Age: 47
Residence:
Homeless. At the moment Petrus is sleeping in the vacinity of Sandton3009/11, Extension 11, Naturena, wherever he can find.
Petrus was begging at an intersection near my office in Sandton when I met him. I hadn’t seen Petrus begging anywhere in Sandton since I got the camera back from him. We had arranged that he would phone or stop by my office every so often to chat but I hadn’t heard from him in over three months. I feared I wouldn’t be able to find him to show him the photographs until I recognised a parking lot in one of them and decided to check it out. I found some people hanging out in what looked like the same area and went to show them the photograph I had taken of Petrus. One of them recognised him immediately and said he would be returning from the shops shortly. He invited me to wait with them (in fact he wouldn’t take no for an answer) and I joined them in their informal shebeen.
The area is located at the bottom of a grass embankment, alongside one of the main roads in Sandton. You can’t see it from the road and I’m sure most of us suburbanites are oblivious to it’s existence, whizzing by after work on our way back to our comfortable homes. Many of the homeless people in Sandton are regulars there and some of the labourers working at the various construction sites also drink there after work during their time in the Sandton area. Petrus’ friends did there best to make me feel comfortable - no easy task since I was probably the first white man to walk into their secret hangout and engage in conversation. I sat down and nod-and-smiled hello to the bemused locals. A drunk, middle-aged woman (one of only two there present and the Shebeen ‘owners’ girlfriend from what I could gather) sitting under a tree nearby started whistling at me. I turned to acknowledge her and she asked if the white boy knew how to make ‘fugga fugga’ (did I know how to fuck). I played the tough-guy and asked if she was going to show me and she started cackling loudly. The men told her to keep quiet and she went back to her drinking.
Much of the time waiting for Petrus to return was spent trying to explain to his friends what I was doing there. Eventually I managed to explain the gist of the project to them (I think) and they all wanted to know if they could participate. I then had to explain that there could only be a limited number of participants, but if the opportunity arose for work of any sort I would let them know and at that, our broken conversation pretty much came to a halt. About half an hour had passed when Petrus arrived.
Petrus had managed to get a part-time job as a plasterer, which is why I hadn’t seen him begging for a while. Besides working as a plasterer on and off for many years Petrus has worked as a miner. He is separated from his wife, Ruth, who lives with their five children in Lanseria, near Pretoria. “I’m frightened to see my wife and children” he told me, “because if they see me they maybe think I have food for them.” If he had the power to change his life Petrus told me “I would get work, live in nice place and support my children.” If he could change the world in any way he would like to end suffering.
Petrus has never taken photographs before. If he had the opportunity to do it again he would travel further and take photographs of different places. His favourite photograph is number 7 because “everybody’s enjoying and talking and drinking and smiling.” When I asked whom he would most like to photograph he said, “I can’t choose one. I have to see at that time and just take the photograph if I see it’s nice to me.” I think a lot of Petrus’ photographs are intent on sending a message and portraying his life, which comes through in his very direct but poignant style.
Petrus’ photographs:
1. A church in Alexandra. Petrus took three shots of this sign. When I asked him why he said, “I must make sure I get this photo”. Petrus is a devout Christian and although he doesn’t go to church much anymore, he told me that Jesus will always look after him.
2. Most of them work or live nearby and are regulars at this informal shebeen.
|
|
